The present invention relates to a multifunctional chair device used for assisting handicapped persons or persons of limited ambulatory ability with respect to bathroom facilities. More specifically, this invention relates to a device for assisting persons with limited ambulatory ability to bathe or shower and/or enter a bathtub or shower stall in a conventional setting.
One particularly important and common daily task is that of showering or bathing. The combination of water and slippery surfaces of floors, tubs and shower stalls in bathroom facilities increases the risk of slipping and falling for handicapped persons or persons with limited ambulatory ability. Furthermore, a tub wall can be an immense obstacle for a handicapped or ambulatory impaired person.
Currently there exists many devices for assisting handicapped or physically challenged or impaired persons. Examples of such devices include chairs that slide on rails to help move non-ambulatory persons into a standard residential bathtub, transfer benches that allow a person to sit in a bathtub and bathing chairs having conduits disposed within the seat and back member for channeling water through. However, many prior art devices have limited utility beyond providing a seating function making such devices relatively less versatile. On the other hand, some devices are unusually complex in design and are relatively expensive to build and maintain. Other chairs are extremely difficult to operate and are intimidating to handicapped or ambulatory impaired persons. These chairs often require the help of a skilled worker, which is generally not feasible or desired in a home setting as opposed to institutional settings.
Another drawback of prior art chair bathing devices is that they are not conducive for reaching the hard to reach areas such as the sides and back of the body, especially for a person who is handicapped and/or physically impaired or challenged.
Therefore there is a need for a chair used for bathing that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art. Such a chair must have a range of functionality, must be relatively simple in design and operation and must be usable by most individuals without assistance. Such a chair should also provide functionality for a caregiver if one is employed.